THE 



MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 



No. 395.] 



MAY 1, 1824. 



[4 of Vol. 57- 



*^* The two Engravings given in this Number will, it is pre- 

 sumed, be received as a substitute for the usual View. 



For the Montlili) Magazine. 



FURTHER DETAILS o/"MR. P.RUNEL'S pro- 

 posed TUNNEL Wider the Thames, 

 accompanied bif two Engravings. 



A COMPANY has been formed and 

 the capital subscribed, forcarrying 

 the projected tunnel into efifect, of which 

 we gave a full account in our Number 

 of Dec. 1, last. As tliere is no oppo- 

 sition to the measure, the Bill will, 

 most probably, soon be passed, so as 

 to enable the company to carry their 

 plan into execution. Notwithstand- 

 ing the failure of two attempts, high 

 expectations are entertained of the 

 success of the present plan : and it 

 must be allowed, that, as we advance 

 rapidly in improvements of almost 

 every description, our means may now 

 enable us to do what could not have 

 been done fifteen or twenty-five years 

 ago. We may therefore confidently 

 look to the attainment of the great 

 desideratum, which is that of opening 

 convenient communications across the 

 'J'hames, east of London Bridge. 



TJie ground under tiie bed of the 

 river, at the depth of about 34 feet 

 Ijelow high-water, consists of sub- 

 stantial clay lo a considerable depth ; 

 39 bores have been taken in three 

 lines across the river, near the place 

 where the tunnel is to be made, and 

 no difierencc was observed in the 

 nature of the strata; other bores are 

 now in progress on the Surrey side, 

 which correspond with the former. 

 Much water is met on shore, to pene- 

 trate through the first stratum down 

 to about 34 feet, where the clay be- 

 gins ; but the Cl^y is of such a nature, 

 that it may be worked tlirough with 

 perfect security. 



This tunnel is denominated the 

 Thames Tunnel. Such confidence 

 was placed in the projector, and the 

 plan itself appeared so practicable, 

 that the shares to the amount of 

 (TiOO.OOO were filled in a very few 



Monthly Mao. No. .395. 



days ; indeed, there is little doubt 

 of its becoming a very productive 

 concern, when we consider tijo im- 

 mense increase of trade in the port 

 of London. The tunnel is to be near 

 Rotherhithe Church ; its distance 

 from the London Bridge is greater 

 than that of the London Bridge with 

 the Westminster Bridge on the Surry 

 side. It will form a more direct 

 communication between four coun- 

 ties, and will open a very short way 

 between the West India and East 

 India Docks in particular, with Tooley 

 Street, and that part of the Borough 

 where a very considerable portion of 

 the coasting trade is carried on. It 

 is not unreasonable therefore to an- 

 ticipate that a very large traffic will 

 eventually take that direction: and, 

 if the Waterloo Bridge, inconsider- 

 able as its traffic is, clears upwards of 

 jg 13,000 a year, there is good ground 

 to calculate upon the double of that 

 sum as the clear revenue of a tho- 

 roughfare that has no competition. 



The ANNEXED PLATES represent the 

 body of the tunnel, formed of a double 

 archway or gallery. Each gallery is 

 to be 13ft, 6in. wide, and 15 feet high 

 in the clear. The structure is to be 

 entirely of brick and Roman cement ; 

 the external dimensions are 35ft. 

 in width, and 20ft. in height. The 

 opening through the ground must 

 therefore be 700 feet of sectional 

 area. 



In order to effect so considerable 

 an excavation, the author of the pre- 

 sent plan proposes to have the body 

 of the tunnel preceded by an assem- 

 blage of very strong iron frames, by 

 means of which, no more earth is to 

 be removed than is to be replaced by 

 the body of brick-work, retaining 

 thcrcb)' the surrounding ground in 

 its natural state of density and soli- 

 dity. The body of the tunnel, which 

 is of brick-work, is intended to be 

 2P fitt^ 



